Clinical Neurophysiology Consultation

The speciality of Neurophysiology is responsible for the study and treatment of the functional state of the nervous system. By measuring the electrical activity of the brain, spinal cord, muscles and nerves, the neurophysiology specialist can analyse how these structures function.

The aim of a Clinical Neurophysiology Consultation is to help diagnose neurological disorders or conditions when other studies, such as MRI scans or CT scans, have not been sufficient to determine a clear and definitive diagnosis.

It is generally common to attend a Consultation with a Neurophysiologist following a referral after having seen specialists in neurology or traumatology, when they have identified a possible dysfunction of the nervous system.

What parts of the body are usually analysed by Neurophysiology?

Neurophysiology studies the nervous system, specifically how neurons communicate through electrochemical signals and how they organise information and generate coordinated responses to stimuli.

In addition to assessing a patient’s nervous system, the speciality of neurophysiology also studies the neuromuscular system.

The parts of the body analysed within the scope of this speciality are the following:

• Central nervous system: analyses areas of the brain (study of brain activity, diagnosis of sleep disorders, comas or epilepsy) and the spinal cord (assessment of nerve signal conduction and the responses they generate).
• Peripheral nervous system: evaluates motor and sensory nerves in the arms and legs to detect neuropathies or nerve entrapments.
• Neuromuscular system: analyses muscle electrical activity and how muscles respond to nerves, in order to identify muscle diseases or nerve damage.
• Sense organs: analyses sensory pathways related to hearing, vision and balance, measuring how the brain responds to external stimuli.

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When a patient attends a neurophysiology appointment, the specialist follows a series of steps to assess the patient’s condition and establish a functional diagnosis in order to begin a treatment or therapy:

• Interview with the specialist: the patient attends the consultation in person with the specialist, and to begin the assessment, the doctor carries out an interview in which they ask a series of questions to understand the patient’s clinical and family history, as well as details about symptoms such as tingling, pain, loss of sensation, sleep problems, etc… when they appeared and how they have evolved up to that point.
• Physical examination or basic neurological assessment: the neurophysiologist may carry out a series of simple tests to assess muscle strength, reflexes, coordination or the patient’s sensitivity.
• Assessment of previous reports and tests: after reviewing the clinical history and carrying out a physical examination, the patient usually brings clinical reports and/or results of previous tests to this appointment, which may add relevant information to the context of the condition.
• Diagnosis and conclusions: during this first Clinical Neurophysiology Consultation, it is not common for more complex diagnostic tests to be performed. Instead, the specialist prescribes the appropriate test for the patient to undergo at a later date and return for a Consultation with a Neurophysiologist with the results, in order to then establish a definitive clinical diagnosis.

Depending on what the neurophysiologist has concluded in their preliminary diagnosis, they may request different neurophysiology tests according to what needs to be investigated or clarified before prescribing a treatment:

• Electroencephalogram, a test that records the electrical activity of the brain.
• Electromyogram (EMG), useful for assessing nerves and muscles and for detecting, for example, neuropathies.
• Evoked potentials, a test that evaluates how the nervous system responds to different sensory stimuli (visual, auditory or somatosensory).
• Full overnight polysomnography study: a sleep study aimed at patients who suffer from sleep apnoea, nocturnal epilepsy, sleep disorders, etc…
• Tremor polygraphic study: a test that records and analyses involuntary movements using sensors and electrodes; it mainly differentiates between different types of tremor (essential, Parkinsonian, functional…).

If after your Neurophysiology consultation the specialist prescribes any of these tests, at Operarme we provide our Patient Service team to manage your test with the hospital at preferential prices.

If you are interested in having your test arranged with us, you can contact us directly on +34 91 141 33 56 or write to us via this contact form.

If, on the other hand, you are considering a Consultation with a Neurophysiologist, you can purchase your voucher for a private consultation directly by clicking the following button:

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